Flea infestation is something that causes many troubles to the pets and their owners. The most common are dog fleas, since dogs have many chances to actually get them. Since fleas can spread themselves throughout your home you will conduct flea extermination as soon as possible. The bad thing about flea infestation is that it can ultimately affect the entire family. The dreaded parasites will invade every corner of your house and thus can become a bad nightmare for everybody.

But there is not only the bad news; actually it is not really difficult to control the situation; you simply need to know what steps to take.

Fleas are small dark insects, and along with ticks and lice they are considered to be the surface dwelling parasites. Fleas are able to run through the fur rapidly; lice move slowly and look like tiny grey insects; they prefer areas around the earflaps. Ticks look like grey warts and they do not move since they plug their mouthparts into the skin. Well, nothing much pleasant about them.

 If you notice your pet grooming and scratching excessively, it may be a sign of its infestation. Sometimes the red bumps appear on the pet's skin - it is a sign of hypersensitivity to flee bites (the saliva).

Adult fleas constantly lay tiny white eggs that then turn into larvae. The latter live in crevices and cracks, upholstery, crevices, blankets and even earth and sand, staying on the dried blood from the droppings of the adult fleas. Adult fleas live 3-4 month. The larvae get fully grown after around a month and are ready to get to the fresh body to feed and breed.

Ok, enough theory, let's take to practical things.

 Usually people think that the first thing they need to do is to clean their home. That's a great idea, but unfortunately if the cause of the home flea infestation was your pet, you should better start with cleaning it up first.

Start with giving your pet a flea bath; but don't stop on that, since it only brings temporal relief from itching and irritation. You need to use some more serious products, but remember that some of them may be too harsh for puppies, so better consult your vet doctor what flea medicine will be the best for your pet. You can also read the instructions on a product before making use, all the required information is usually there.

Another flea infestation treatment is a flea dip which is quite effective in eliminating fleas and keeping them away forever. But it is not the best one among the flea infestation remedies, since the dog or other pet can lick, swallow, or eat it after the treatment process.

Flea collar is one of the alternatives; it is quite safe but acts only on the pet's face and neck and does not cover the whole body.

Flea powders and sprays seem to be the better decision for solving a flea infestation in a home. Before you use them read the instructions carefully (it actually refers to any type of the flea control products you are buy). They can effectively stop flea infestation but some of them may be too strong for your puppy.

 Flea infestation remedies can differ, and those designed for home flea infestation may turn to be too strong for your pet; and those made for pets may not be appropriate for your home. Also it can be risky to apply two flea infestation remedies or products on your pet simultaneously, since their mixture can produce unpredictable effects.

If you don't know exactly how to get rid of flea infestation, it would be good to visit the vet specialist and bring your pet there. The specialist will know what to prescribe to achieve the best results, and that is safer for your pet.

On your part, you should thoroughly disinfect the entire pet's toys and food holders, and bedding as well. This is where you start, remember?

The next step is to make and keep your home clean. Human flea infestation or dog flea infestation plan will not work if you are acting alone - engage all the family in the process; explain to everybody in your house what to do to keep everything clean and prevent the fleas to get in again.

Keep vacuuming, and do not allow the too much humidity in the home's environment - you can purchase a dehumidifier for that purpose if you live in a moist place; fully dispose of the vacuum bag after you finish.

Fleas can create a resistance to remedies and chemicals used to control them, so the best thing in flea infestation control is to use different methods to prevent it and keep cleanliness all over your home.